


Amaryllis

by Python07



Series: King and Country [21]
Category: Kingsman (Movies), The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Christmas fic, Fluff and Angst, Kingsman/Musketeers fusion, M/M, young Armand and Jean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 20:13:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21794596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Python07/pseuds/Python07
Summary: Armand and Jean's first Christmas and they're fighting, as usual.
Relationships: Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu/de Tréville (Trois Mousquetaires)
Series: King and Country [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/830955
Kudos: 40





	1. First Christmas: Jean

The house was full of aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins, and it was all noise and chaos. Most of the women holed up in the kitchen, baking Christmas cookies and gossiping. Two uncles and half the kids were out getting a tree. Others decorated or played cards or Atari in the basement.

The whole atmosphere was hot and cramped. Everyone seemed jovial, except for Jean and some of his moodier younger cousins who would rather be with their friends. Everywhere he turned, there was a body and boisterous, forced cheer.

Jean couldn’t even get away in his bedroom cause he was sharing it with three cousins. He didn’t want any of that. He didn’t want the questions on his future or his love life. He was happy enough working at his parents’ shop, at least for now. He had no desire to make it his life’s work but he didn’t know what he wanted for the future either. He didn’t think uni was really an option for him but he wouldn’t ruin Mum and Dad’s Christmas by admitting that to them.

As far as his love life…

He didn’t know whether to snog or strangle Armand. First, the man seemed to want him around. Armand made time for him in his busy schedule. But then, Armand would shut down and ghost him for a week or two. In turn, Jean would get angry and they blew up at each other. It didn’t occur to him that he wasn’t really very good at listening and he hadn’t yet learned to read Armand’s moods like Ax and Joseph.

Gaston and Ax both tried to convince him to use his words, but he wasn’t a bloody woman or on one of those daytime talk shows. Armand was the unreasonable one. He was sure of it. So, why did he feel so terrible?

He missed that stupid asshole. He missed the dates to dinner and the cinema. He missed snogging and holding hands in the dark. He missed the warm fuzzies when Armand smiled at him.

His thoughts ran in circles over Armand. Suddenly, he needed out of the house. He didn’t bother adding any other layers to his jeans and t shirt. He didn’t bother swapping his trainers for boots. He just grabbed his jacket off the rack by the door and went out into the snow. He picked a direction and started walking.

The sky was gray. The snow fell in fat, wet flakes and stuck to everything and he forgot his hat and gloves. He jammed his hands into his pockets and put his head down against the wind. 

He followed the sounds of carols and bells onto a decorated street. Brightly lit shops lined both sides and the air smelled of hot chocolate and gingerbread. Garlands and Christmas lights were strung between the lamp posts. 

There were plenty of people about but it didn’t feel claustrophobic like it did at his parents’ house. He browsed through the different windows. He stopped outside of a florist to blow on his hands and stamp his feet.

He felt a blast of warm air when a woman came out with a Christmas cactus. She smiled politely and held the door for him. “Happy Christmas,” she said cheerfully.

He nodded and dredged up a small smile. “Happy Christmas,” he mumbled and slipped inside the shop. He sighed and tried to shake off the cold.

“Last minute shopping?” a voice asked kindly.

Jean looked at the little old lady behind the counter. He shifted awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well…” 

She came out from behind the counter and approached Jean. She barely came up to his shoulder. She was plump, with rosy cheeks. Her gray hair was in a loose bun. She wore a green Christmas apron with reindeer on it and antlers on her head. She took his arm and gently pulled him further into the shop. “We’re picked over I’m afraid, but we still have some lovely blooms left.”

He tried to ease away but she didn’t let go. He tried to swallow his nervousness. “I didn’t think many flowers bloomed in winter.”

She waved her free hand. “Oh, there’s Christmas cactus, poinsettias, English primroses, pansies, winter jasmine, Algerian irises, and snowdrops.” She brought him to a shelf against the far wall. “But these are my favorite. These are amaryllis.”

He looked over the few single flowers in small pots. Each had one or two blooms. They were all red or pink, except for one. He slowly reached out for the deep blue flower.

She chuckled warmly. “She has blue eyes, does she?”

He blushed. “I…uh…” He started to put the flower back on the shelf.

She put a hand over his. “I’m sorry. I was only teasing.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to.” He blew out a long breath. “We haven’t been together long. We haven’t even talked about exchanging gifts.” He frowned and his voice was barely audible. “We haven’t talked much lately.”

She pressed the pot into his hands. “It called to you. It’s for your love. Just call me a Christmas romantic.” She offered him a dazzling smile and went back to her place behind the counter.

He dumbly followed. He set the flower down and patted his pockets. He rolled his eyes at himself. He flushed in embarrassment. “Forgot my wallet.”

“No matter,” she said briskly as she wrapped paper around the flower to protect it. She held it out to him. “Take it.”

“I can’t,” Jean protested. 

She grinned. “It’s a Christmas gift.”

He shook his head and took a step back. “You don’t even know me.”

She regarded him for a long moment. Then she nodded to herself. “Fine. You can owe me” She crossed to his side of the counter and pushed the plant into his chest. “I’ll expect to see you back in this shop in the new year. I could use the help two days a week. How does Tuesdays and Thursdays sound?”

He held the amaryllis securely. “What would I need to do?”

“Deliveries and heavy lifting.” She held her hand out. “Deal?”

He shook her hand. “Deal. Mrs?”

She smirked. “Just Liz.”

“Jean.”

“Nice to meet you.” Liz lead Jean to the door and opened it for him. “Happy Christmas, Jean.”

He offered one last smile before he stepped out into the cold. “Happy Christmas, Liz.”

“Go talk to her,” Liz ordered and shut the door in his face.


	2. First Christmas: Armand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armand tries to bury himself in his work and Ax won't let him.

Armand had to move from working at the kitchen table to sitting on his couch and using the coffee table. He was stiff from sitting in that kitchen chair too long. He rolled his shoulders and tried to focus. 

His throat was dry and a headache was forming behind his eyes. He sat back, shut his eyes, and ran both hands through his hair. He just needed to breathe. 

He opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. “You’re almost done. Then, that’s it for the holidays.” 

He turned his head to the side to watch the snow falling outside the window. He blinked rapidly against his eyes closing. Before he knew it, he dozed off.

A door slammed and he jerked upright. “What?” he whispered, disoriented, and shook his head to clear it. 

“Hey, Armand,” a loud voice greeted. The voice hummed Jingle Bells at full volume.

“Hey,” Armand called back, absently. He sipped his hot chocolate, but it was cold. He grimaced and set it to the side.

“You ready?”

“What?” He grabbed his pencil. He drummed it against his notebook while he tried to read. The print was small and he couldn’t seem to understand it. 

Ax strolled into the room. “Hello,” he drawled in a high pitched voice.

“Hey. What are you doing here?” Armand asked without really paying attention. He squinted at the text. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

He didn’t notice when Ax left the room. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He didn’t hear Ax return.

Ax leaned on the back of the couch. He flicked Armand’s ear. “Here.”

Armand jerked and batted Ax’s hand away. “What? I’m busy.”

Ax grabbed Armand’s hand and put two paracetamol in his palm. He held a glass of water over Armand’s other shoulder. “When was the last time you took a break?”

Armand took the water and swiftly downed the pills. He finished the whole glass. Ax made a grabby hand and he gave it back to him. He rubbed the back of his neck while Ax went back into the kitchen for a refill. “If you must know, I just woke up.”

Ax came back into the room. “Doesn’t look like your little nap helped. You look like shit.” 

“Ta,” Armand drawled sarcastically.

Ax gave Armand the glass and stood over him to make sure he finished it. “Have you eaten today?”

“I had a bagel this morning.“

“That’s better than I was expecting.” Ax frowned. “You know you might not get as many headaches if you didn’t let yourself get dehydrated.”

Armand drained the glass and set it on the coffee table. He rolled his eyes at Ax. Then he made a point of picking up his pencil and looking at his book. “I’ll keep that in mind, Mom.”

Ax laughed and plopped down next to Armand close enough that their sides touched. He nudged Armand lightly. “I’m not near that scary.”

Armand kept his eyes on his work. “She’s not scary. She just doesn’t suffer fools lightly.”

Ax puffed up in mock outrage. “Are you calling me a fool?”

“If the shoe fits…”

Ax stuck his tongue out. He peered at Armand’s book and let out a great huff. “Nothing like a little light reading.”

Armand tapped his pencil against the paper. “What?”

“It’s in Russian,” Ax answered in exasperation.

“And?”

“It’s hols,” Ax almost yelled and elbowed Armand.

Armand blinked at him and elbowed him back. “I know.”

Ax growled. “If I see you with another book before classes start back up, I’ll burn them all.” Before Armand could protest, he snatched Armand’s pencil and threw it across the room. He closed both books, grabbed them, and marched into the kitchen to drop them unceremoniously onto the kitchen table. He came back in and dramatically threw himself back down onto the couch. He lay with his head in Armand’s lap. “Don’t think I won’t. I vow it by all that’s holy.” 

Armand didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Instead, he flicked Ax on the forehead. “You are such a drama queen.”

Ax’s eyes got wide. “Pot meet kettle.”

Armand sat back with a sigh. He folded his arms across his chest. “What are you doing here anyway?”

Ax squirmed and pressed his head further into Armand’s lap. He just stared up at Armand until Armand started petting his hair. He tilted his head into it like a cat. “Dinner and shopping. We’re supposed to meet Joseph. Remember?”

Armand shut his eyes. He kept one hand on Ax and ran the other through his hair. “Right. I…”

Ax smirked and finished for him. “…forgot.”

“Yeah.”

“You really need to stop getting stuck in your own head.“ Ax smiled warmly. “Come on. Up you get. It’s time to go.”

Armand shook his head. “I really don’t--”

“No.” Ax jerked up to a sitting position and glared at Armand. “You’re coming.”

Armand glared back. “Piss off.”

Ax grabbed Armand and hauled him to his feet. “Book burning is still on the table, Armand.”

Armand jerked his arm out of Ax’s grip. “I hate you,” he growled but went to the door and grabbed his coat off the rack.

Ax followed. “I hate you too,” he shot back. He put on his own coat. “So,” he started casually. “Where’s your boy toy? I haven’t seen him around lately.”

Armand just rolled his eyes and opened the door. He stopped short when he saw Jean standing there. He opened his mouth but nothing came out.

Jean’s face, hands, and ears were red. He was wearing a scruffy jacket, much too light for this weather. He only had a t shirt and jeans on underneath. He wore wet trainers. He held up the amaryllis in one hand and a bag of Chinese take out in the other. He smiled sheepishly, but hopefully.

Ax laughed. He gave Armand a brief side hug. “Be nice, Armand. I’ll talk to ya later.” He nodded to Jean and slipped past him. He started humming Jingle Bells again. “Happy Christmas, Jean.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fancast for Ax: Geoffrey Rush


End file.
